Holding on to Hope

Oh February! It has come close to getting the better of me on several occasions — bouts of sickness, exhaustion, little sunlight and motivation — but I am happy to say I think I’m going to make it through!

How about you?

If there is anything good to be said about February, it is that February is the month that I grow the most in the virtue of hope.

Like any virtue, hope can only grow when it is tested.

More specifically, it can only grow when we are tested, and so I guess I should be thanking February for always making me exercise the virtue of hope in new and interesting ways.

There is a scripture verse from Jeremiah that comes to mind when I think about those difficult moments in life — those “February moments” — where life just seems harder.

He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”

Jeremiah 17:8 (RSV) 

We are meant to be like that tree — unafraid of the trials and tribulations –because we have a source that runs deep within us to sustain us in those difficult moments we will encounter in our lives.

Christ is that source, that fount of living water, and He is there to sustain us through it all — the storms, the draught, the good times and bad.

Sometimes I forget that God is there to sustain me and to save me — and maybe you do, too.

Which brings us to the importance of practicing hope.

The truth is, some days will be dark. Some days you will be weary. Some days you will find yourself losing hope.

Kind of like this guy.

All of us will find ourselves having those days — and this is where we need to see the opportunity to practice the virtue of hope.

The truth is, we can’t sustain ourselves in those dark moments of our life — we need Jesus.

We need to stay close to Him and to open ourselves up to Him so that He can pour His grace into our souls.

Jesus won’t force himself upon us. He is the ultimate gentleman, and a gentleman always respects the freedom of the beloved. He waits for us to say “yes” — but once we do, be prepared for the flood of grace that will ensue.

Our prayer life is about filling the wells deep within our soul — deep cisterns that we will need to draw upon, when times get dark.

We fill those cisterns, little by little, each morning we choose to pray and meet God. We fill them, little by little, with the sacraments.

In times of “famine” or trial, those cisterns will need to run deep. We will need to draw upon them, and possibly for extended amounts of time.

The good news is that we have ample examples in scripture where Jesus made up for what was lacking in those moments of need.

He will multiply our meager efforts and sustain us — we just need to do our lousy best to fill those cisterns and care for those cisterns and leave the rest to God.

Which brings us back to hope.

Hope is about drawing upon those waters, deep and pure, when times get hard and when famines come our way.

Hope is about remembering the many times God has come to your aid, and making an act of trust that He will come again to meet you in your need.

Hope is about remembering the happy days of our past and looking to the happiest days of our future.

Hope is about the promise of Heaven. Hope is about reflecting upon Heaven.

Heaven is for real. It exists, and God is preparing a place for you. Can you imagine that?

Thanks to St. Paul we know that eye has not seen and ear has not heard what God has prepared for those who love Him.

All we do know is that the happiest days on earth will be nothing compared to Heaven. The most beautiful place this world can offer is nothing compared to the beauty of Heaven.

Which is why Heaven is something that should be part of your prayer time from time to time. In dark times, make Heaven your meditation.

Let your imagination go crazy, people, because the real Heaven will far exceed any of the greatest dreams we could dream about it.

Use the imagination of yours and try to imagine the most amazing place with the most amazing food and scents and sounds and just know that it won’t hold a candle to Heaven.

How do I hold on to hope in the dark days of winter, in the “Februarys” of my life?

I make a real effort to direct my thoughts and prayers towards Heaven. I imagine what it will be like and all of a sudden joy wells up in my heart.

It helps me to go on. I can take all the sadness and sickness and disappointments of today and know that it will all be forgotten soon enough.

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

“The virtue of hope responds to the aspiration to happiness which God has placed in the heart of every man; it keeps man from discouragement; it sustains him during times of abandonment; it opens up his heart in expectation of eternal beatitude.

Catechism of Catholic Church 1817

Ultimately, remember that hope, like all the virtues, is strengthened by living in communion with others.

It is strengthened by reaching out to others and lightening their load, in laughing with other and encouraging them.

Without your even noticing it, when you try to lighten others loads, you will find that your load has been lightened, too.

You are likely to find that your cisterns have been filled to the brim again, without your even noticing it. Who knew?

Ultimately, if you want to have hope in your heart, you must give it to others. don’t be stingy with it.

So dream big, people. Dare to hope in Him, and dare to share that hope with others.

Yes, sometimes it’s going to be a struggle — but that struggle is where real growth happens. So be assured there is much value in that struggle for hope.

Don’t just take my word for it, listen to the words of St. Teresa of Avila, recognized as a Doctor of the Church for her wisdom in the matters of the faith.

“Dream that the more you struggle, the more you prove the love that you bear your God, and the more you will rejoice one day with your Beloved, in a happiness and rapture that can never end”.⁹

Teresa of Avila

Here’s to that day, that everlasting day of rejoicing that will never end! Hip, Hip Hooray!

Sharing over at Kelly’s.